Combined reciprocating valve apparatus and flow controller



1965 T. E. NOAKES ETAL 3,

COMBINED RECIPROCATING VALVE APPARATUS AND FLOW CONTROLLER Filed April 18, 1962 w a. Q

W 4 MH Y B a water supply conduit (not shown).

United States Patent ()1 COMBINED RECIPROCATING VALVE APPA RATUS ANDFLOW CONTROLLER Thomas E. Noakes, Detroit,'and Henry W. Kogan, flak Park, Mich, assignorstoAmerican Radiator 8; Standard Sanitary Corporation, New York, N .Y., a corporation of Delaware Fiied Apr. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 188,317

9 Claims. (Cl. 210-,437

This invention relates to valve apparatus, as for example cartridge type valve apparatus used in drinking fountain constructions.

In U.S. Patent 2,868,223 there is shown a drinking fountain apparatus comprising a hollow head for mounting a water discharge nozzle. One face of the head is provided witha large cavity which removably receives a push button valve cartridge unit. The cartridge unit has fluid connections with the water discharge nozzle so that depression of the cartridge push button-is effective to allow water to flow through the nozzle.

One object of the present invention is to provide a push button valve cartridge having a resilient flow control annulus disposed therewithin so that a regulated flow of water is discharged through thefountain nozzle irrespective of substantial variations in water supply pressure.

An additional object of the, invention is to provide a novel arrangement which permits the flow control annulus to serve the added function of a valve seat.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a push button cartridge valve having a novel, simply constructed arrangement for both limiting the motion of the push button and mounting the cartridge in a fountain head cavity.

Other objectsof this invention will a pear from the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the severalviews.

In the drawing:

The singlefigure is a sectional view taken through i an apparatus incorporating one embodiment of the inven tion therein.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of'p'arts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to'be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein isfor the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring more particularly .to the drawing, there is shown a fountain head 10 constructed generally similar to the corresponding head shown in aforementioned US. Patent 2,868,223. As shown, the head'is provided witha threaded opening 12 in its lower face for connection with provided with a water discharge nozzle 14, and a water deflector or shield 16. The face of the head generally designated by numeral 18, is provided with a'cavity which removably receives the push button valve cartridge 22.

The cavity bottom surface 24 is provided with a water entrance opening 26 and a water exit opening 23 so that water is enabled to flow from the supply conduit through the cartridge 'ZZandeVentually through nozzle lt4. Cartridge 22 comprises a generally tubular wall 34? and an internal partition 32 for defining an inlet chamber 34 and :an outlet chamber 36. An opening 38 is formed in the partition to permitwater'to flow from the inlet charn--- her to the outlet chamber. Preferably a strainerscreen 39 is provided in chamber 34so asto. be accessible for The head is also spring 52 7 messes Patented Jan. 19, 1965 pendingon the geographical location of the apparatus and other factors. Therefore it is desirable to provide in the apparatus a mechanism for maintaining a substantially constant volumetric flow through the apparatus irrespective of substantial variations in supply water pressure. In the illustrated apparatus'the volumetric flow is maintained substantially constant by means of an annular resilient flow control element 40, said element being seated on an annular shoulder 41 formed as part of a pocket in one face of partition 32. Element is of conventional construction and is defiectable by the inlet pressure to vary the size of its central fiow orifice so as to maintain a substantially constant volumetric fiow through thje opening 38. The present invention is not concerned specifically with the construction of the flow control annulus per se, and'it is contemplated that various different flow controlconstructionscan be utilizedin'practice of the invention, as for example the construction shown in either one of US. Patents 2,389,134 or 2,716,427.

in the illustrated embodiment of the invention there is provided a movable spherical valve'element 42 which is 40 to halt the how of water through opening 38 when the push button 44 is released. In order to transmit motion fror'n the push buttonto valve element 42'there is provided an operating stem 46 having its' lower end connected with "the valve element and having its upper end arranged in the path of movement of the push button surface 48; thus the stern has a lost motion connection with the push button. The stem carries a spring retainer 5t whichengages one end portion of a light compression The other end portion of. spring 52 abuts against partition 32 so that when the push button 4 is in I itsflillustrated position the spring 52 'will insure [that valve element 42 is closedagainst flow annulus'dtl even i tubular cartridge 22, and the central portion of which extends through the cross slot 58 in push button 44. The

- cross pin 56 may be retained in place by. the cup-shaped cap at said cap having the primary function of retaining the entire cartridge in the cavity 20. 1'

From the above description it will be seen that when the cartridge is installed and its push'button 44 is depressed, surface 48 thereof strikes the pin 46 so that valve element 42 is moved away frornflow annulus 44) such that a regulated flow of water can take place through opening 68 and discharge nozzle 14. When push button 58 is released spring 54 moves the button upwardly such that the light spring 52 and the inlet chamber water pressure are enabled to'rnove valve element 42 to the closed position. g

In the closed position of valve element 42 the spring 52 and inlet pressure are effective to cause the valve element to compress'the rubber flow annulus 40. The compressive action is such that the, orificeformed by. the flow annulus is of reduced size. As a result, when the user presses down on push button 44 the movablevalve element 42 can move away from flow annulus 40 before the flowfannulus orifice fully'comes back to its low pressure size. The water pressure retards the flow annulus tendency toifollow element 42 so that the firstfiow of watertakes place through a reduced size orifice; This arrangement has some advantage that the-initial flow of waterfthrough opening 38 is somewhat less than the subsequent flow; as a result sudden spurts of water through nozzle 14 are less likely to occur. It will be noted that stem 46 is spaced a slight distance from the push button surface 48 in the closed position so that the push button acquires some speed before the valve element 42 is opened. This further tends to promote the 'above mentionedanti-spurt action. It also is advantageous in that'the valve element can'in its closed position find a seated position against flow annulus 4% without obstruction from the push button 44.

The principaladvantage and improvement oifered by the present invention is the compact arrangement of features which permit the flow control annulus 40, valve element 42, and strainer screen 39 to be operatively disposed in the small space offered by the cartridge. The entire cartridge construction can be incorporated in conventional fountain heads without increasing the size there of and without increasing the cartridge cost. In fact cartridge-push button assemblies constructed as shown may in certain cases be cheaper than the less satisfactory cartridges which they are designed to replace. The invention is of course capable of various embodiments other than the specific embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing.

We claim:

1. In combination, valve body means having a flow passage therethrough defined in part by an annular shoulder facing in an upstream direction; a resilient annular flow regulating member disposed on said shoulder and responsive to variations in fluid pressure to provide substantially constant flow through the passage; a movable valve element disposed immediately upstream from the flow regulating member and movable thereagainst to halt 'fluid flow therethrough; a stem extending through the flow regulating member for operating the valve elements; and means connected with said stem for moving same to open the valve element.

2. In combination, wall means defining a fluid flow passageway comprising an inlet chamber, an outlet chamher, and an annular shoulder therebetween; a resilient axially deflectable flow control annulus disposed on said annular shoulder with its upstream face exposed to'the inlet chamber to provide a substantially constant flow through the passageway in'spite of substantialvariations in the inlet chamber pressure; a movable valve element located in the inlet chamber for engagement with said annulus to halt fluid flow therethrough; means for biasing said valve element towardsaid flow control annulus to assure sealing engagement when the element is in the closed position; and means for opening said movable valve element against the action of the biasing means.

3. In combination, valve body means having a flow passage therethrough defined in part by an annular shoulder facing in an upstream direction; a resilient annular flow regulating member disposed on said shoulder and responsive to variations in fluid pressure to provide a substantially constant flow through the passage; a movable valve element disposed immediately upstream from the flow regulating member and movable thereagainst to halt fluid flow; means having a lost motion connection with said valve element for moving same to the open position; and spring means acting on the valve element to normally hold same in pressure contact with the flow control member without interference from the moving means.

. 4'. In a drinking fountain head having a cavity in one face thereof for defining a bottom cavity surface, water entrance and water exit openings in said cavity bottom surface, and a cartridge removably disposed in said cavity: the improvement comprising means defining an annular shoulder in the cartridge arranged to intercept water flowing from the entrance. opening and direct, same to the exit ,opening; aresilient flow control annulus disposed on said annular shoulder and responsive to variations inwater' pressure to maintain a substantially constant flow of water therethrough; a movable valve element located immediately upstream from the flow control annulus and movable thereagainst to halt flow of water therethrough; an externally accessible push button slidably disposed in said cartridge; and a stem extending through the flow control annulus between the push button and the movable valve element so that depression of the push button is effective to open the valve element.

5. In a drinking fountain head having a cavity in one face thereof for defining a bottom cavity surface, water entrance and water exit openings extending through said surface, and a hollow cartridge removably disposed in said cavity: the improvement comprising a partition extending within the cartridge and defining an inlet chamber communicating with the entrance opening and an outlet chamber communicating with the exit opening; said partition having an opening therethrough and an annular shoulder surrounding said opening on the partition face exposed to the water entrance opening; a resilient flow control annulus seated on said shoulder and responsive to water pressure variations to maintain substantially constant volumetric flow therethrough; a movable valve element disposed immediately adjacent the upstream face of said flow control annulus for movement thereagainst to halt flow of water therethrough; a depressable push button slidably disposed in the cartridge for movement toward and away from the flow control annulus; and an operating stem extending through the flow control annulus between the push button and the movable valve element so that depression of the push button is effective to open said valve element.

6. In a drinking fountain head having a cavity in one face thereof for defining a bottom cavity surface, water entrance and exit openings extending through said surface,

" and a removable cartridge disposed in said cavity: the

improvement comprising a partition extending within the cartridge and cooperating therewith to define a straight walled inlet chamber adjacent one end of the cartridge having communication with the entrance opening, and a straight walled outlet chamber adjacent the other end of the cartridge having communication with the exit opening; said partition having an opening therethrough and an an nular shoulder surrounding said opening on the partition face exposed to the water entrance opening; a resilient flow control annulus seated on said shoulder and responsive to variationsin water pressure for maintaining a substantially constant volumetric flow through the opening; a strainer screen disposed within the inlet chamber in close parallel adjacency to the flow control annulus; a movable valve element disposed immediately upstream from the flow control annulus and movable thereagainst to halt the flow of Water therethrough; a movable push button slidably mounted in the straight walled outlet chamber for movement toward and away from the flow control an nulus; and an operating stem extending between the push button and movable valve element so that depression of the push button is eifective to open the valve element.

7. In combination, a generally tubular fluid housing construction having fluid entrance and fluid exit openings at one end thereof; a partition extending within said tubular housing construction and cooperable therewith to define an inlet chamber communicating with the entrance opening and an outlet chamber communicating with the exit opening; said partition having an opening therethrough and a pocket exposed to the fluid entrance opening; a resilient flow control annulus disposed in said pocket and responsive to variations in fluid pressure for maintaining a substantially constant volumetric delivery through the partition opening; a movable valve element disposed immediately upstream from the flow control annulus and movable'thereagainst to halt flow of fluid therethrough; a depressable push button slidably disposed in the opposite end of the tubular housing construction for'movernent toward and away from the flow control annulus; and an operating stem extending between the push button and movable valve element so that depresis efiective to open the movable sion of the push button valve element. l

8; In a drinking fountain headhaving a cavity in one face thereof for defining a bottom cavity surface, water entrance and exit openings extending through said surface, and a removable tubular cartridge disposed in said 7 cavity: the improvement comprising a partition extending within the cartridge and cooperating therewith to define an inlet chamber, outlet chamber and a valve seat therebetween; a'movable valve element disposedimmediately upstream from the seat and movable thereagainst to halt the flow of water therethrough; a movable push buttonslidably mounted in the outlet chamber for movement toward and away from the flow control annulus;

and movable thereagainst to halt fluid flow; a stem ex tending from the valve element through the flow regulatan operating stem extending between the push button and movable valve element so that depressioniof the push button is efiective to open said element; means for limiting movement of the push button comprising a cross member carried by the tubular cartridge and a cooperating slot formed through the push button; and means for mounting the cartridge-push button assembly in the a cavity comprising a single cup-shaped cap threaded into the cavity so that its side wall registers with the ends of the cross member to retain same in the push button slot.

9. In combination, valve body means having'a flow. passage therethrough defined in part by a partition which ing member; first spring means acting between the partitionand the'stem to normally biasthe valve element into pressure contact with the flow regulating member; 7

an externally accessible piish button slidably disposed for 'movement along the stem axis; and second spring means normally biasing the push button away fromthe stern; said push button and stem being spaced from one another in their biased positions whereby the first spring means is enabled to maintain the valve elementclosed without' interference from the push button.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,626,122 Lammiman Ian. 20, 1953 2,723,055 Beard Nov. 8, 1955 2,922,616 Budde Ian. 26, 1960 3,003,519 Homeyer Oct. 10, 1961 

6. IN A DRINKING FOUNTAIN HEAD HAVING A CAVITY IN ONE FACE THEREOF FOR DEFINING A BOTTOM CAVITY SURFACE, WATER ENTRANCE AND EXIT OPENINGS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SURFACE, AND A REMOVABLE CARTRIDGE DISPOSED IN SAID CAVITY: THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A PARTITION EXTENDING WITHIN THE CARTRIDGE AND COOPERATING THEREWITH TO DEFINE A STRAIGHT WALLED INLET CHAMBER ADJACENT ONE END OF THE CARTRIDGE HAVING COMMUNICATION WITH THE ENTRANCE OPENING, AND A STRAIGHT WALLED OUTLET CHAMBER ADJACENT THE OTHER END OF THE CARTRIDGE HAVING COMMUNICATION WITH THE EXIT OPENING; SAID PARTITION HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH AND AN ANNULAR SHOULDER SURROUNDING SAID OPENING ON THE PARTITION FACE EXPOSED TO THE WATER ENTRANCE OPENING; A RESILIENT FLOW CONTROL ANNULUS SEATED ON SAID SHOULDER AND RESPONSIVE TO VARIATIONS IN WATER PRESSURE FOR MAINTAINING A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT VOLUMETRIC FLOW THROUGH THE OPENING A STRAINER SCREEN DISPOSED WITHIN THE INLET CHAMBER IN CLOSE PARALLEL ADJACENCY TO THE FLOW CONTROL ANNULUS; A MOVABLE VALVE ELEMENT DISPOSED IMMEDIATELY UPSTREAM FROM THE FLOW CONTROL ANNULUS AND MOVABLE THEREAGAINST TO HALT THE FLOW OF WATER THERETHROUGH; A MOVABLE PUSH BUTTON SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN THE STRAIGHT WALLED OUTLET CHAMBER FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE FLOW CONTROL ANNULUS; AND AN OPERATING STEM EXTENDING BETWEEN THE PUSH BUTTON AND MOVABLE VALVE ELEMENT SO THAT DEPRESSION OF THE PUSH BUTTON IS EFFECTIVE TO OPEN THE VALVE ELEMENT. 